Targeting hidden roots of workplace harassment

The #MeToo movement was on full display at this year’s Golden Globes, where stars wore black to show solidarity. Among them was Oprah Winfrey, who, in accepting a lifetime achievement award, paid tribute to the women who dared tell their experiences with sexual harassment, assuring “all the girls watching” that “a new day is on the horizon.”

Social scientists and legal scholars have been examining the issue of workplace harassment for some time. Their research reveals several root problems that need to be addressed through legal reforms to reach the “new day” Oprah has promised.

Part of the answer is just this straightforward: Stop workplace harassment and treat employees equally. That means pursuing justice for victims, accountability for wrongdoers and gender parity in pay, opportunities and representation.